This invention relates to a container assembly, more particularly to a container assembly comprising a container having two sections and an insert between said members which separates the contents of said sections.
In certain situations, it is desirable to keep certain components of the contents of a container separate for combination within said container at a future time. An example of such a situation is the desire to keep a hot portion of a food separated from a cooler portion of the food until just prior to consumption. In the fast-food business, the food is often stored for a short period of time during which it is desirable to separate the hot and cooler portions of the food until just prior to consumption by the purchaser. The same considerations applied when one portion of the food are moist and other portion is dry. Prolonged contact of the hot/cooler or moist/drier portions of the food over a period of time can result in a food product which is not particularly appetizing to the purchaser. A known method of maintaining the components of a food product separate is the use of a two compartment sandwich package wherein the hot and cold sandwich components are placed in the compartments which are side by side and the package is covered with a top. After purchase of the product, the purchaser then manually places one component of the sandwich over the component of the sandwich and consumes it. Such packages are typically double the length of the typical one compartment containers which hold the sandwich in its assembled configuration. A dual purpose container is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,510,211 which requires special adaptation of the walls of the container to receive a removable partition. Further, around the sides said partition, the reference requires an addition part, a so-called "flexible element" which is removed prior to the removal of the partition. U.S. Pat. No. 2,558,124 discloses a container having a partition attached to a hinge which connects the two portions of said container. The partition has an opening therein to accommodate a component of the contents of said container. The partition is intended to maintain the components of the top and bottom of the container separate at all times. The partition is attached to the hinge and therefore cannot be removed when the container is in a closed position.
It would be desirable to have a container which is a convenient size for storage and handling by the producer and users, has means to conveniently combine the contents of the container with minimal disruption of the container or components therein and permits such combination without the handling of the contents prior to consumption. It would be a further advantage to avoid the need to make any special adaptations the walls of the container in order to achieve the separation of the contents. It would also be desirable to have a container assembly which uses existing containers to avoid the expense of replacing such containers.
It is an object of this invention to provide a container assembly having a convenient means of separating certain components therein wherein said means is removable while said container is in a closed position. Another object of this invention is a method of combining certain components of the contents of a closed container without opening said container or handling said contents prior to opening.